the man between-第19节

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n　he　died。　It　went　to　the　grave　with　him。　I　wouldn't　have　it　touched。　I　fancy　the　Rawdons　would　know　it。　No　one　dare　say　they　don't。　I　think　they　meddle　a　good　deal　more　with　this　life　than　we　count　on。〃

The　days　that　followed　were　days　in　The　House　Wonderful。　It　held　the　treasure…trove　of　centuries；　all　its　rooms　were　full　of　secrets。　Even　the　common　sitting…room　had　an　antique　homeliness　that　provoked　questions　as　to　the　dates　of　its　furniture　and　the　whereabouts　of　its　wall　cupboards　and　hidden　recesses。　Its　china　had　the　marks　of　forgotten　makers；　its　silver　was　puzzling　with　half…　obliterated　names　and　dates；　its　sideboard　of　oak　was　black　with　age　and　full　of　table　accessories；　the　very　names　of　which　were　forgotten。　For　this　house　had　not　been　built　in　the　ordinary　sense；　it　had　grown　through　centuries；　grown　out　of　desire　and　necessity；　just　as　a　tree　grows；　and　was　therefore　fit　and　beautiful。　And　it　was　no　wonder　that　about　every　room　floated　the　perfume　of　ancient　things　and　the　peculiar　family　aura　that　had　saturated　all　the　inanimate　objects　around　them。

In　a　few　days；　life　settled　itself　to　orderly　occupations。　The　Squire　was　a　late　riser；　the　Judge　and　his　family　breakfasted　very　early。　Then　the　two　women　had　a　ride　in　the　park；　or　wandered　in　the　garden；　or　sat　reading；　or　sewing；　or　writing　in　some　of　the　sweet；　fair　rooms。　Many　visitors　soon　appeared；　and　there　were　calls　to　return　and　courtesies　to　accept。　Among　these　visitors　the　Tyrrel…　Rawdons　were　the　earliest。　The　representatives　of　that　family　were　Nicholas　Rawdon　and　his　wife　Lydia。　Nicholas　Rawdon　was　a　large；　stout　man；　very　arrogant；　very　complete；　very　alert　for　this　world；　and　not　caring　much　about　the　other。　He　was　not　pleased　at　Judge　Rawdon's　visit；　but　thought　it　best　to　be　cousinly　until　his　cousin　interfered　with　his　plans〃rights〃　he　called　them〃and　then！〃　and　his　〃THEN〃　implied　a　great　deal；　for　Nicholas　Rawdon　was　a　man　incapable　of　conceiving　the　idea　of　loving　an　enemy。

His　wife　was　a　pleasant；　garrulous　woman；　who　interested　Ethel　very　much。　Her　family　was　her　chief　topic　of　conversation。　She　had　two　daughters；　one　of　whom　had　married　a　baronet；　〃a　man　with　money　and　easy　to　manage〃；　and　the　other；　〃a　rich　cotton　lord　in　Manchester。〃

〃They　haven't　done　badly；〃　she　said　confidentially；　〃and　it's　a　great　thing　to　get　girls　off　your　hands　early。　Adelaide　and　Martha　were　well　educated　and　suitable；　but；　〃she　added　with　a　glow　of　pride；　〃you　should　see　my　John　Thomas。　He's　manager　of　the　mill；　and　he　loves　the　mill；　and　he　knows　every　pound　of　warp　or　weft　that　comes　in　or　goes　out　of　the　mill；　and　what　his　father　would　do　without　him；　I'm　sure　I　don't　know。　And　he　is　a　member　of　Parliament；　tooRadical　ticket。　Won　over　Mostyn。　Wiped　Mostyn　out　pretty　well。　That　was　a　thing　to　do；　wasn't　it？〃

〃I　suppose　Mr。　Mostyn　was　the　Conservative　candidate？〃

〃You　may　be　sure　of　that。　But　my　John　Thomas　doesn't　blame　him　for　itthe　gentry　have　to　be　Conservatives。　John　Thomas　said　little　against　his　politics；　he　just　set　the　crowd　laughing　at　his　wayshis　dandified　ways。　And　he　tried　to　wear　one　eyeglass；　and　let　it　fall；　and　fall；　and　then　told　the　men　‘he　couldn't　manage　half　a　pair　of　spectacles；　but　he　could　manage　their　interests　and　fight　for　their　rights；'　and　such　like　talk。　And　he　walked　like　Mostyn；　and　he　talked　like　Mostyn；　and　spread　out　his　legs；　and　twirled　his　walking　stick　like　Mostyn；　and　asked　them　‘if　they　would　wish　him　to　go　to　Parliament　in　that　kind　of　a　shape；　as　he'd　try　and　do　it　if　they　wanted　a　tailor…made　man'；　and　they　laughed　him　down；　and　then　he　spoke　reasonable　to　them。　John　Thomas　knows　what　Yorkshire　weavers　want；　and　he　just　prom…　ised　them　everything　they　had　set　their　hearts　on；　and　so　they　sent　him　to　Parliament；　and　Mostyn　went　to　America；　where；　perhaps；　they'll　teach　him　that　a　man's　life　is　worth　a　bit　more　than　a　bird　or　a　rabbit。　Mostyn　is　all　for　preserving　game；　and　his　father　was　a　mean　creature。　When　one　thinks　of　his　father；　one　has　to　excuse　the　young　man　a　little　bit。〃

〃I　saw　a　good　deal　of　Mr。　Mostyn　in　New　York；〃　said　Ethel。　〃He　used　to　speak　highly　of　his　father。〃

〃I'll　warrant　he　did；　and　he　ought　to　keep　at　it；　for　he's　the　only　one　in　this　world　that　will　use　his　tongue　for　that　end。　Old　Samuel　Mostyn　never　learned　to　live　godly　or　even　manly；　but　after　his　death　he　ceased　to　do　evil；　and　that；　I've　no　doubt；　often　feels　like　a　blessing　to　them　that　had　to　live　anyway　near　to　him。　But　my　John　Thomas！〃

〃Oh；〃　cried　Ethel；　laughing；　〃you　must　not　tell　me　so　much　about　John　Thomas；　he　might　not　like　it。〃

〃John　Thomas　can　look　all　he　does　and　all　he　says　straight　in　the　face。　You　may　talk　of　him　all　day；　and　find　nothing　to　say　that　a　good　girl　like　you　might　not　listen　to。　I　should　have　brought　him　with　us；　but　he's　away　now　taking　a　bit　of　a　holiday。　I'm　sure　he　needs　it。〃

〃Where　is　he　taking　his　holiday？〃

〃Why；　he　went　with　a　cousin　to　show　him　the　sights　of　London；　but　somehow　they　got　through　London　sights　very　quick；　and　thought　they　might　as　well　put　Paris　in。　I　wish　they　hadn't。　I　don't　trust　foreigners　and　foreign　ways；　and　they　don't　have　the　same　kind　of　money　as　ours；　but　Nicholas　says　I　needn't　worry；　he　is　sure　that　our　John　Thomas；　if　change　is　to　make；　will　make　it　to　suit　himself。〃

〃How　soon　will　he　be　home？〃

〃I　might　say　to…day　or　any　other　early　day。　He's　been　idling　for　a　month　now；　and　his　father　says　‘the　very　looms　are　calling　out　for　him。'　I'll　bring　him　to　see　you　just　as　soon　as　he　comes　home；　looms　or　no　looms；　and　he'll　be　fain　to　come。　No　one　appreciates　a　pretty　girl　more　than　John　Thomas　does。〃

So　the　days　passed　sweetly　and　swiftly　onward；　and　there　was　no　trouble　in　them。　Such　business　as　was　to　be　done　went　on　behind　the　closed　doors　of　the　Squire's　office；　and　with　no　one　present　but　himself；　Judge　Rawdon；　and　the　attorneys　attached　to　the　Rawdon　and　Mostyn　estates。　And　as　there　were　no　entanglements　and　no　possible　reason　for　disputing；　a　settlement　was　quickly　arrived　at。　Then；　as　Mostyn's　return　was　uncertain；　an　attorney's　messenger；　properly　accredited；　was　sent　to　America　to　procure　his　signatures。　Allowing　for　unforeseen　delays；　the　perfected　papers　of　release　might　certainly　be　on　hand　by　the　fifteenth　of　July；　and　it　was　proposed　on　the　first　of　August　to　give　a　dinner　and　dance　in　return　for　the　numerous　courtesies　the　American　Rawdons　had　received。

As　this　date　approached　Ruth　and　Ethel　began　to　think　of　a　visit　to　London。　They　wanted　new　gowns　and　many　other　pretty　things；　and　why　not　go　to　London　for　them？　The　journey　was　but　a　few　hours；　and　two　or　three　days'　shopping　in　Regent　Street　and　Piccadilly　would　be　delightful。　〃We　will　make　out　a　list　of　all　we　need　this　afternoon；〃　said　Ruth；　〃and　we　might　as　well　go　to…morrow　morning　as　later；〃　and　at　this　moment　a　servant　entered　with　the　mail。　Ethel　lifted　her　letter　with　an　exclamation。　〃It　is　from　Dora；〃　she　said；　and　her　voice　had　a　tone　of　annoyance　in　it。　〃Dora　is　in　London；　at　the　Savoy。　She　wants　to　see　me　very　much。〃

〃I　am　so　sorry。　We　have　been　so　happy。〃

〃I　don't　think　she　will　interfere　much；　Ruth。〃

〃My　dears；〃　said　Judge　Rawdon；　〃I　have　a　letter　from　Fred　Mostyn。　He　is　coming　home。　He　will　be　in　London　in　a　day　or　two。〃

〃Why　is　he　coming；　father？〃

〃He　says　he　has　a　proposal　to　make　about　the　Manor。　I　wish　he　were　not　coming。　No　one　wants　his　proposal。〃　Then　the　breakfast…　table；　which　had　been　so　gay；　became　silent　and　depressed；　and　presently　the　Judge　went　away　without　exhibiting　further　interest　in　the　London　journey。

〃I　do　wish　Dora　would　let　us　alone；〃　said　Ruth。　〃She　always　brings　disappointment　or　worry　of　some　kind。　And　I　wonder　what　is　the　meaning　of　this　unexpected　London　visit。　I　thought　she　was　in　Holland。〃

〃She　said　in　her　last　letter　that　London　would　be　impossible　before　August。〃

〃Is　it　an　appointmentor　a　coincidence？〃

And　Ethel；　lifting　her　shoulders　sarcastically；　as　if　in　hostile　surrender　to　the　inevitable；　answered：

〃It　is　a　fatality！〃



CHAPTER　VIII

THREE　days　afterward　Ethel　called　on　Dora　Stanhope　at　the　Savoy。　She　found　her　alone；　and　she　had　evidently　been　crying。　Indeed；　she　frankly　admitted　the　fact；　declaring　that　she　had　been　〃so　bored　and　so　homesick；　that　she　relieved　she　had　cried　her　beauty　away。〃　She　glanced　at　Ethel's　radiant　face　and　neat　fresh　toilet　with　envy；　and　added；　〃I　am　so　glad　to　see　you；　Ethel。　But　I　was　sure　that　you　would　come　as　soon　as　you　knew　I　wanted　you。〃

〃Oh；　indeed；　Dora；　you　must　not　make　yourself　too　sure　of　such　a　thing　as　that！　I　really　came　to　London　to　get　some　new　gowns。　I　have　been　shopping　all　morning。〃

〃I　thought　you　had　come　in　answer　to　my　letter。　I　was　expecting　you。　That　is　the　reason　I　did　not　go　out　with　Basil。〃

〃Don't　you　expect　a　little　too　much；　Dora？　I　have　a　great　many　interests　and　duties〃

〃I　used　to　be　first。〃

〃When　a　girl　marries　she　is　supposed　to〃

〃Please　don't　talk　nonsense。　Basil　does　not　take　the　place　of　everyone　and　everything　else。　I　think　we　are　often　very　tired　of　each　other。　This　morning；　when　I　was　telling　him　what　trouble　I　had　with　my　maid；　Julia；　he　actually　yawned。　He　tried　to　smother　the　yawn；　but　he　could　n